I'm here, nothing can harm you
by Destlerina
Summary: Raoul and Christine move on in their love but a certain man hunts them still... R./C my first story
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one

The rescue

Raoul's POV

Bubbles, bubbles all around me, I can hardly see as my tightly clenched eyes open a mere crack to see the phantom's grate coming down on me, as it threatens to crush me down and leave my broken form in a watery pit never to see daylight again. Oh how I wish I could just let go and be back at the house by the sea in Sweden with my love, my Christine. I longed to go back in time; to be that small boy with his 'silly name and cute ears' as she had once told me I possessed. But that was then, and this is now, now I am here beneath the cellars of the Paris opera fighting for my life and playing Christine's knight in shinning armor as I made one final attempt to save her from the deranged clutches of an infamous seducer. I grabbed hold of the wheel that controlled hiscontraption and used all the power I had to turn it, it was rather hard to do but by the third time I had managed to grab hold of the grate allowing it to carry me to the surface where I would rescue my beloved.

I splashed through the water until I came to the gate of his home or more like his prison and saw him running his horrible dead, cold fingers over my fiancée's waist. Rage bubbled inside me, how dare he touch her, how dare he force her to be with him; how dare he kidnap her! My anger grew as I saw him place a ring in her left hand, _my _ring! I heard the voice of my princess saying what she thought of her kidnapper and for the first time in my life a cruel smile came to my lips as I enjoyed the pained look on my rival's face. Then snapping from my revive I remembered what I had come to this horrid place for, Christine! I saw her give a sob of fear and my eyes flickered with a blue flame. He had no right to frighten her, he was doing that enough in my opinion anyways! I felt a twinge of guilt as I reflected back to just before _Don Juan Triumphant _when she had begged me not to make her perform and I was so caught up in my own schemes that I had made her do it even though she was terrified.

I sloshed through the water and grabbed hold of the bars just as the phantom turned noticing my presence at last, "Wait I think my dear we have a guest!" I heard him snarl. Rage coiled my insides into a knot, a sensation I was becoming used to, and who did he think he was calling her 'my dear' I held the bars tightly doing my best to contain my rage so that it wouldn't show on my face.

My voice softened into song as I looked at her emerald eyes pleading with him and showing her love for me. Oh Christine! I began to sing my voice calm but passionate, "free her do what you like only free her! Have you no pity?"

I saw him turn to her and what came out was more like a snarl than the musical sound I was sure he had intended, "Your lover makes a passionate plea!'

Then my beloved's voice rang out to me and I swear her tone was the most frightening thing I had heard yet as she told me it was useless. I shook my head it was not useless I love her, and this madman was not going to take her away from me. My voice rose to a cry as I saw him wrap his arm around her, "I love her, does that mean nothing? I love her! Show some compassion!"

He snarled his hideous face looking more twisted and ugly as he did so, and what he said was more directed at Christine than at me, or so it seemed. "The world show no compassion to me!"

**Christine's POV**

I wept silently in my mind as I looked upon my love, my knight in shinning armor as he made one last effort to save me from this world of darkness, this kingdom of hopelessness, and its dark insidious ruler. Oh Raoul dear god why did it all have to end like this? My master/father was going to kill my love and then force me to marry him. The thought of me marrying my father figure was absolutely revolting and I felt myself become nauseous at it. My thoughts were interrupted as I heard the deep soothing tenor of my prince sing out in desperation. "Christine… Christine let me see her!" my kidnapper gave an attempted snarl that sounded to me as a cruel, enraged and sickening laugh "Be my guest sir!" he opened the gate and my love came in. The next thing I knew my love had a rope around his neck and the phantom's horrible twisted face was smiling at me, oh no I had to make a choice… an impossible choice! I had to either give up my freedom to save Raoul, or I went free and lost the love of my life! Well what did it matter, either way the phantom would win, and if I stayed with him Raoul could find someone he could love without her being stolen from him. I made my choice, and I kissed my former master's ruined face.

Raoul's POV

My insides did a somersault as I watched her kissing him. Oh why would she be doing this? My Christine why can you not just let me dye in peace knowing I have saved you! As she pulled away,

He let us go and oh the moment that passed as I watched the love of my life as she looks into the eyes of the man. He kissed her and I felt strange warmth coming from my eyes, and I blinked it away. The masked man let out a cry and sobbed begging her for forgiveness,

"_Go now!_

_Go now and leave me!"_

Christine ran to me and undid the rope as she fell into my arms. And as I held her I whispered to her," Christine… Christine." And stroked her hair as she collapsed in my arms.

My love was hugging me to her, sobbing uncontrollably into my shirt; she clung to me as though I were her last link to sanity. I wrapped my arms around her and sang her name softly in her ear. Still she wept, and the ever-familiar need to protect my princess overwhelmed me. "Why?" she asked and I did not have the heart to answer her, how could I be the one to tell her that this mad-genius loved her and thus sought to control her forever, that the one who had stolen her music was her maestro himself.

As I stroked her raven curls in a fruitless attempt to comfort her I felt as though my world was in my arms, my angel was my life and nothing could make me let her go again. I led her to the gondola and was about to set her inside when she stopped me, "Christine?" I asked her a little confused as to why she was shaking her head at me.

"Raoul my darling; please let me say good-bye to him." She begged of me and I felt something squeeze at my heart and then a small smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. She was so compassionate, so giving even to the man whom had put her through unspeakable terrors. I nodded my head and she pulled me close again before hurrying off to bid one last farewell to the man who had once been her angel.

Christine's POV

As I walked to his side I took one last look around his once beautiful home, now in ruins from his mad rage, and found him sitting in front of his music box singing along with it sadly. My heart broke at the sound of that beautiful voice which normally held such strength and radiated such power now so raw and bitterly broken.

"_Masquerade, paper faces on parade._

_Masquerade;_

_Hide your face, so the world will never find you."_

I felt dizzy, and weak as all sorts of emotions ran through my head as I gazed upon my once-upon-a-time teacher. What did I feel for him, pity, yes; but there was something else as well, a new feeling somewhat of a strange sensation whose name I could not place.

"_Christine I love you!"_

In that moment I realized what it was that I was feeling. I loved him, not in the way I loved Raoul, but in the way a daughter would her father. He had after all been my father figure for years. I handed him back his ring and kissed his palm, no I did not love him as a wife, but still I loved him in a way.

I whispered a soft good-bye to him and then ran back to Raoul who was awaiting me with open arms.

**Raoul's POV**

I held my arms open for her and caught her when she stumbled from exhaustion. She nestled against me tears still streaming down from her beautiful eyes. "It's all right little one." I whispered softly, and she shook her head sadly.

"No it is not. Raoul, I love you but please understand that I will always care for him as my father." She was once again sobbing and I had to carry her to the gondola to keep her from dropping from hysterics.

"I understand Lotte, now relax and try to rest." I said and she apparently did not hear me or if she had my words possessed no effect on her nerves for my bride continued to weep no matter what I said or did.

I reluctantly released her in order to row the boat and smiled as she asked me in a sleepy yet troubled voice," Are you angry with me for giving him your ring my love?" and despite my anger with the Phantom for putting her through this I could not help but smile gently at her.

"No sweetheart, in fact I think that was rather kind of you to…" I was cut off by a voice, a voice that I had come to despise, it was none other than the voice of her fallen angel, as loud and strong as ever, and yet meek and sickly all at once.

"_You alone can make my song take flight._

_It's over now the music of the night!"_

I felt Christine trembling with tears I kissed her hair and sang a soft lullaby, which I remembered from her father's tales and as she calmed down she looked up and then at the slowly disappearing darkness she smiled and said, "Look a light. We are almost free my dear!" She smiled and I ran my fingers through her hair. As we made our way to the surface I felt her head begin to nod, "I am so tired Raoul." She murmured and soon fell into a shock-induced slumber.

My angel's sleep was plagued by dreadful nightmares and as I felt her shaking I tried to comfort her by singing our duet and it worked a little until she began to scream for me to save her from whomever or whatever was haunting her.

"Christine…come now my dear it's all right. Come now wake up." I whispered using my shoulder to sake her by moving my arm back and forth steadily. She awoke and fell upon me with bitter tears.

"Raoul, he took me away from you." She cried and I kissed her mouth softly, cursing the phantom inwardly for doing this to her. She was about to tell me more when we made it to the surface, so I stopped her for a moment to help her off the boat. Setting her down I was about to kiss her when…

She fainted.

"Christine!" I called frantically for her lips were turning blue. I felt her brow with my hand and withdrew quickly she was burning with a fever. I of course had known she would sicken in that wet gown but had not expected it to come that quickly.

"Raoul… so tired… so thirsty… don't leave me Raoul…" she mumbled almost incoherently and reached for me but her hand fell away. Then she closed her eyes, her breathing became slow and shallow.

"Christine! Christine my love speak to me!" I called knowing that I had to keep her awake for fear that she might lose consciousness her reply was an incoherent mumble. I knew that I must cool her down in order to save her life. "My carriage, my carriage!" I called to the driver who brought it around swiftly.

Setting her down on the velvet seats I laid her head on my lap, "To the château quickly." I shouted to the driver who nodded.

I laid her head to rest on my lap and stoked her hair beginning to sing softly:

"_No more talk of darkness; forget these wide eyed fears._

_I'm here; nothing can harm you_

_My words will warm and calm you."_

I knew she could hear me and so I would sing just to let her know I was here, she would be okay I would take care of her.

She had to be okay.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

Raoul's POV

I was becoming more and more worried by the moment as we made our way to my estate on this seemingly endless country road. It was a gorgeous spring evening on this night, the sky was a dark blue and stars twinkled and shimmered as they decorated the scene like a glittering tapestry. A pleasant breeze blew my hair gently, cooled my face, which was heated by the stress of the evenings events. It was a pleasant night and I might actually have been enjoyed the ride if it were not for the fact that I was terrified.

Beside me my love was shivering and trembling madly, unable to control herself in her state of unconsciousness. I wrapped my cloak around her and kissed her sweaty brow tenderly, massaging her temples to soothe and comfort her. "Everything all right back there sir?" my driver asked and all I did was turn my head in his direction at a loss for words. How could I speak, everything in me wanted to scream, wanted to cry out but my voice would not obey my mind and I remained as silent. I looked back at Christine and made up my mind not to all the way back to the château, for I feared, no I _knew_ that if we were in this carriage much she'd catch her death, and then it would be all over for both of us. If she died then my life would be over, I would become broken and wretched, moaning for a heart that I held so very dearly to my own. I would become lost and even sickly, indeed I would die of love and only then would I find peace in the bittersweet solitude of death, in the bleakness of the world yet to come, for then I would have nothing, nothing at all.

The thoughts made me tremble, and I am no coward, not a man to be easily terrified of anything. But the thought, the very notion of losing my bride to something as simply curable as a mere fever made want to wretch until every drop of my ever-flowing life fluid was spilled onto the torso of my beautiful beloved, and then I would die with her, die with her and rest in eternity. The thought seemed to me both grotesque and oddly romantic all at once, oh god save me for my mind is becoming ailed and crazed, I fear that I am becoming less noble and madder with love. I am becoming the very man I had come to despise, I was becoming the angel himself, and I was becoming a madman who was obsessed with my angel. Strangely enough the whole thought of my obsession had a strange appeal in its own way, for it was a oddly sweet thing that reminded me strongly of the classic tale of Romeo and Juliet, and how strong the love was between the two people from two different worlds, it reminded me of my own love for Christine.

A low moan interrupted my quiet thoughts of my romances with the woman I love. I turned my head and saw that Christine was shivering and I began to curse my wayward mind and my imagination profusely for letting them distract me. Reaching over I began to twirl my fingers in the end of her locks, letting my other arm wrap around her and shifting her shivering and fevered body to my lap. I grimace as I let my hand run over her brow, it was getting warmer by the moment. She shivered and her head lulled back against the fabric of my shirt, I was glad that it was still damp from swimming in my rival's lake. I removed it, folded it and placed the cool fabric over her sweaty brow, patting it down gently with the palm of my hand to ensure firmness, and stickiness before letting her head rest deadly against my bare chest. I felt her tremble and then I heard her, I heard her begin to weep uncontrollably as she tried to grip my non-graspable chest without any success. I grasped her hand gently and brought it to my mouth seeking to comfort her.

"Raoul… " She moaned.

"I'm here Love." I told her. Then turning to the driver, I said, "Turn to the nearest inn and stop there."

"B-but sir, your lord brother…." The driver protested, and I became irritated to the point of snapping.

"I don't give a damn what my brother wants! Now do as I say Jean or so help me I will see to it that you are relieved of your duties tomorrow morning!" What was I doing, this was so not like me to be abusive or to be so loose with my tongue as to curse at my employees. But could not he see how urgent the situation was? "I'm sorry Jean, but please my fiancé is sick and needs to lie down for a time."

Jean turned and gave me a smile before reaching back with one hand and touching my shoulder. I felt the pressure of tears behind my eyes and I had to try hard to keep them back. I reached forward and gripped his wrinkled hand with a gentle squeeze, which he returned. "I understand sir—"

"Please Jean, enough formalities. Raoul to you…" I said to the man who had been like my father since I was a small boy in Normandy when they had brought my father the great Raul le Comte de Chagny home from the wars on his deathbed and let him to bed in the earth beside my mother Phyllis. I then learned all that I knew from my many governesses and Jean who was a retired soldier. I sighed and offered my father figure a soft smile before nodding for him to go on to the inn.

The ride seemed to never stop, just to go on and on for what felt like an eternity. I began to hum to myself softly, but soon my voice grew into song.

"_Past the point of no return…"_

"_No backward glances."_

I suddenly stopped, horror gripping me at the sound of my voice singing the lyrics to the phantom's opera, how could I sing such words to my beloved in the state she was in? I was such a fool to think that what she had told me was wrong, he would murder for her, but he did love her. I must say that on the roof, where I had professed my love for her I had gotten the impression of a man who only desired the body of my Little Lotte, but now I understand why he wrote the opera for her. He believed to be his last link to salvation, his last hope. Still that did not explain why I was singing his music, yes it was beautiful, but I hated the composer so why in the world was I singing his music?

Warmth came to my eyes as I realized that I had lied to my beloved when she had asked me if her giving him my ring had angered me. That is why I stayed quiet for a few moments, pondering my answer. Yes, I will admit that Christine giving my rival her engagement ring had upset me some, but then again, after seeing the tears in his eyes after Christine had kissed the him made me pity him, and made me think that maybe Christine was right, maybe he was just a fallen angel. I let my eyelids droop to pressure back the sudden tears that threatened to spill over my eyes, I could not cry, I would not cry.

I had to be strong for Christine; she needed me the most now and I had to be strong for her. No one, I realized could heal her the way I could, not even Mme. Giry for even though she had been Christine's adopted mother for many years she could be of no help in this situation. After all it was she who had brought the Phantom to the opera in the first place, thus teaching him to be a musical genius, of course there was no harm in that. The harm was letting him close enough to Christine in order for him to become obsessively in love with her.

Not that there is anything wrong with him being in love, for I am sure that as hideous as I deem him he is still a man and therefore would have all the human emotions thereof. It was just that the way he loved her, so deeply, so passionately obsessive were the claims of his soul that they not only frightened Christine, but also made me almost as obsessively in love with him as I was with her. Not in the way of two lovers who wish to share their life with each other, for I would never feel that way for any _gentleman, _let alone my rival.

It was just the way he was, that mixture of anger and power, of passionate love and despair. I guess you could say that it awed me as much as it caused my insides to burn with… with… I, in that moment felt as though a bullet had just hit me in the chest and stolen my breath. In that moment I realized that I did not hate him, as I had said earlier but rather I pitied him. I pitied him, as I would pity any man who was in his position. But I also felt that burn in me whenever I dared think of him. I blinked hard at the unexpected tears that welled up before my eyes, burning them and causing them to sting and ache dully with the pressure of them.

One0 conclusion and one conclusion alone came to my mind and along with it came the feelings of aphoristic clarity and the exasperations of self-denial.

I was jealous.

There! I admitted it, and what a shame it is for me to do so, a noble such as I am, jealous and angry with a man whom I should pity. A man who has truly loved the angel of my heart.

"Si- I mean Raoul we are here…." Jean told me and I nodded to him and asked him if he would please open the door so that I could carry her in. He obliged, but before he gave me room to step out of my buggy he reached across me and squeezed my hand reassuringly. Offering him a weary smile I tugged my hand across his, retuning the gesture. But what he did next was what made a few of the long suppressed tears trickle from my eyes.

Jean was hugging me.

I felt his arms tighten and for the first time since I was a little boy at twelve when they had taken my Lotte away from me I felt the need to be held close to someone, to be sheltered and protected. I placed my arms around him and let him brush the fallen locks of my hair behind my ears, before giving me a gentle and rather whiskery kiss on the top of my head.

"I love you Raoul, you _are _my son in all but blood. I will do my best to aid and guide you as your father would have done." He said his voice beginning to tremble.

"Jean… I… you don't have to…" I began but his sobs cut me off, I reached up and touched the poor man and stroked his beard. This poor man had lost both his sons in the same war that had taken my father's first son Jacque, at the age of sixteen my brother had died. I remember that day as if it were yesterday.

___**Flashback:**_

_It was a snowy and bitter day when I saw my brother dead, they brought him home on a stretcher with the usual possession of soldiers. "Jacque!" I called and ran forward long enough to watch his friends lift him off the horse he rode and lie him down as my terrified mother ran forward and began sobbing._

_"Jacquie?" I asked and it was on that day that my seven-year-old heart would be broken forever._

_My brother looked at me with his warm brown eyes and murmured, "I love you little one, tell Philippe I love him…" those were his last words._

_I faintly saw Jean sobbing over the bodies of his sons David and Henri as he collapsed I did the same and it was in that moment that I realized the horror of war…_

End flashback

It was now that I felt as the savior had done comforting the betrayer in the opera _L'amour du Christ_ as I kissed the old man and embraced him. When my beloved moaned and broke my thoughts I turned drew her into my arms, carrying her into the inn and giving Jean the money for the rooms, which were ride across the hall from one another.

I arrived at the room, bid Jean goodnight and went inside laying her down on the bed tucking her in. As I eased myself down on the bed beside her, I whispered softly of the love that was in my heart for her.

"Christine… Chris…"

"Raoul… my love…"


End file.
